‘Things Are Going to Suck’

In this week’s podcast, the owners talk about what it takes to plow through challenging projects, like integrating an acquisition or transitioning to a new ecommerce platform.

Good Morning!

Here are today’s highlights:    

• Do you price for security or for growth?

• More than half of independent retailers couldn’t pay their September rent in full, according to a survey.

• The fall in interest rates may be igniting a home-remodeling resurgence.

• Lesser known brands are trying to stand out with “chaos packaging.”

THE 21 HATS PODCAST

This week, Laura Zander tells Shawn Busse and Jay Goltz about her approach to buying businesses: Laura says she simply recognizes that for a period of time, life will be miserable for her and for her team. That’s what happened almost a year ago when she bought two businesses that were a challenge to integrate. And now, just as things have calmed down a bit, she expects it to happen again as she eyes another acquisition. It’s also what she expects to happen as she and her husband Doug proceed with their ongoing migration to Shopify. “Our sales are going to go down,” says Laura. “SEO is going to be rough. My biggest concern, honestly, is Doug's mental health. This whole process has been so stressful for him.”

• Shawn, Jay, and Laura also discuss how they feel about the possibility that the 20-percent Qualified Business Income deduction could go away next year, when it’s set to expire. You might be surprised by their answers.

• You can subscribe to the 21 Hats Podcast wherever you get podcasts.